Puppy Dog Cake Recipe

NO BONES ABOUT IT—just a glance at this tasty canine confection is bound to get guests' stomachs growling! The birthday dessert is surprisingly simple to prepare, too...beginning with a mouthwatering coconut cake recipe from Nancy. Like CT's cooks did, you can easily "groom" her baked teat into a pooch by adding chocolate, candy and a fruit snack to make a friendly face. So collar your own critter for a party...you'll have a howlin' good time!—Nancy Reichert, Thomasville, Georgia

Nutritional Facts

Directions

In a microwave-safe bowl, melt the semisweet chocolate; stir until smooth. Stir in corn syrup just until mixture is well blended, forms a ball and is no longer shiny. Turn onto an 8-in. square of waxed paper. Press chocolate mixture into a 7-in. square. Let mixture stand at room temperature until dry to the touch, about 2 hours.

Let separated eggs stand at room temperature for 30 minutes. In a microwave-safe bowl, microwave white chocolate with water at 30% power until chocolate is melted; cool to room temperature.

In a large bowl, cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in the egg yolks, vanilla and white chocolate mixture. Combine flour and baking soda; add to creamed mixture alternately with buttermilk. In a small bowl, beat egg whites on high speed until stiff peaks form. Fold into white chocolate mixture with coconut and pecans.

Fill four greased muffin cups half full with batter. Spoon remaining batter into two greased 9-in. round baking pans. Bake cupcakes at 350° for 15 minutes and cakes for 35 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. Cool for 10 minutes before removing from pans to wire racks to cool completely.

In a large bowl, beat cream cheese and butter. Add the confectioners' sugar, milk and vanilla. Set aside 1 teaspoon for decorating.

Roll out chocolate mixture on waxed paper to 1/8-in. thickness. Using a sharp knife, cut out two 4-in. x 2-in. ears; round one end of each. Cut out two 1-1/4-in. circles for eyes, two 1-in. long strips for eyebrows and one 5-in.heart for muzzle; set aside.

To assemble, place one cake on a large platter or covered board (about 14 in. x 11 in.). Cut off cupcake tops; cut a 1/4-in. piece from a rounded edge from each cupcake and discard. Place cut side of two cupcakes against side of cake with edges touching; frost top of cake and cupcakes. Top with remaining cake and cupcakes; frost top and sides.

Place ears opposite the cupcakes, inserting the flat ends into side of cake 1/4 in. from top. Fold ears over the top of cake. Position eyes, eyebrows, and muzzle as shown in photo.

Place a small amount of reserved frosting on the back of each mint; insert two for eyes and two for nose. Place licorice on the muzzle as shown. With scissors, cut fruit roll-up into a 4-in. strip and round one end; place straight and under muzzle for tongue.Yield: 10-12 servings.

Originally published as Puppy Dog Cake in Country Woman
January/February 2001, p20

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"This is a very cute and pretty easy cake to create. If you want to save even more time, I would just use a simple boxed cake or a more simple scratch cake. I got confused a couple of times on the directions of how to bake the cake. But the actual look of the cake was so cute and my 3, 5, and 7 year olds loved it. The cake, made as directed, tasted really great and moist too."